MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani knows where the money is — that's why he's been campaigning more in California and Florida and less in early voting states like South Carolina.
"You have to raise an enormous amount of money to do this. Everybody knows that. We'd all like it to be different, but that's the reality of it. That drives a lot of the scheduling," the former New York mayor said after he greeted about 250 people at a pancake house here.
Giuliani, who raised $15 million for the primaries during the last three months, has made more visits to Florida and California than to other early voting states. He said he considers South Carolina important to his White House bid, and that he plans to make more visits.
Giuliani talked about golf and signed photos, Yankees baseball caps and copies of his book. People shouted "Rudy Now!" as the crowd followed him into the restaurant, where customers stood and cheered.
It was Giuliani's first campaign appearance in South Carolina since his former state campaign chairman, Treasurer Thomas Ravenel, was indicted on a federal cocaine charge last month.
Giuliani said he was shocked to hear about the indictment.
"That's something he's going to have to answer for," Giuliani said.
Ravenel, who was suspended from the treasurer's office he won in November, also stepped down from Giuliani's campaign.
Ravenel, through an attorney, pleaded not guilty to the charge Friday. He is currently at a 30-day rehab program at an Arizona psychiatric hospital, according to court documents.
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